Daddy Issues
by Charlie'sLostVampire
Summary: Howard Stark had never treated Tony as well as he should have, but he never could have guessed how much damage it would do...


Howard Stark had never been a particularly affectionate man. He was cold and calculating. Though Tony would never admit it, that had hurt him more than he let show, and he always feared that was the reasoning behind his own lack of affection that he showed most people.

Only one person had ever truly been able to breach his high, thick walls of security, and that was Pepper. Virginia "Pepper" Potts had somehow managed to hack away at the high-tech walls around his heart that had to be miles thick, and she stole it completely.

But that made Tony wonder if he was _capable _of loving anyone else. If Pepper had claimed ownership of his entire heart, arc reactor and all, was there truly room for more people?

The fear hadn't truly gotten the best of him until a few years down the road, when he had noticed how nervous and anxious Pepper had become, and had finally confronted her about it.

"You're upset. Don't lie; I can tell. What did I do?" he'd asked her with a frown, and Pepper had sat, trapped, on the couch. There was no way to further avoid what she knew she needed to tell him, and she'd taken a long, deep breath before speaking.

"Tony… I'm pregnant."

The words had shocked him into silence, and the next thing he vividly remembered was being down in the workshop, getting the suit on at top speed before blasting away from the manor, Pepper calling desperately after him.

He'd known it was wrong. It was beyond wrong of him to just leave her there after she gave him news like that, but this was the only way he knew how to react; running. Running away from responsibility, just like he always did. No matter how much Pepper continuously scolded him for it, Tony would never arrive at a meeting on time, act appropriately at a press conference, or stop groping her in public. He knew why, too; it was the only way he could prevent himself from becoming him. If he avoided responsibility and forever lived in the moment, he'd never become his father. Howard Stark had never been late for every meeting scheduled, and if he ever was, he had an excuse. Howard Stark would never have told off a senator, or took of his pants to "ease the tension" his assistant was creating.

But, if Anthony Stark was to become a father himself, how would he _not _become his father? Did he have a choice?

"I can't turn into him, Pepper," he'd muttered sheepishly when he arrived home late that night, standing in the doorway to the bedroom with dirt smeared on his cheeks and in his hair. "I don't want to be my father."

Pepper had frozen with surprise at his words, slowly shaking her head as she crawled out of bed and made her way to his side, flipping on the lights and wiping the dirt from his cheeks. "Tony… you know that won't happen…"

"But what if it does?" he'd asked simply, brushing past her and walking over to the bed, sitting down as he stripped his shirt off.

"Would it be so bad if you did?" she asked quietly, and he frowned at her deeply with confusion.

"The man never once told me that he cared about me, Pepper. Forgive me for not wanting to treat my kid that way."

"_That man _is also the reason you're alive today," she'd stated as she sat down beside him, tapping lightly on his arc reactor. "The reason he never showed you affection was because he was always too busy trying to build the best future possible for you. What do you think he'd say if he could see you now?"

"Put on some pants?" Tony suggested, shaking his head as he flopped back into the pillows and shut his eyes.

"No," Pepper said with a frown, lying on her side beside him and pushing his dark hair out of his eyes. "He'd tell you he was proud, Tony. Proud of everything you've achieved; everything you've done for this company, and the legacy you've made for yourself." Caressing his cheek, she leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his lips, shaking her head when she pulled back. "_I'm _proud of you, Tony…" she said softly, curling against his chest with a sigh. "So proud of the man I've watched you become. Why do you need to hear _him _tell you he loves you, when I tell you every day?"

She was right. But then again, she was always right; she was Pepper. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead, smiling faintly. "I don't…"

Relaxing in his arms, Pepper nodded as the lights went out in the room, shutting her eyes. A few moments later, Tony broke the silence again.

"So… we're having a baby?"

"Yes, Tony. Yes we are."

"…_awesome._"


End file.
